Around Pancheri (district Udhampur) the spots like Saroli Dhar are no less beautiful as Kashmir’s Gulmarg and with a height as large as Natha Top,two cave shrines of Lord-Shiv-Parvati have 9½ ft high exquisite self-carved Shivlingam out of rock, Sar Dabbar, Sanara, Tibba Kandroo, Ajjal in Mongri and Cheman Mata in Basnote could attract many to this area. Lush green Deodar forest stretches at Damnote and Panchar too are there. Beautiful breath-taking green slopes, ancient Devasthans at Bariote and Badsar Devta at Laki have so far not been exposed to outside world.
Of course the road connectivity has to be provided at extra pace. Sankhri Devsthan, Kainthagali-Mir-Panchari, in the Pancheri/ Moungri area some sites appear suitable for Gandola. The gandola sites could be from Moungri to Deber Thayar with 3 to 4 Km span, Moungari to Achal (Ajjal) Dhabbar with another 4-5 Km span, Dubey Gali to Khargali with 4 Km span and LAki (Badsar Devta) to Basnote Top about 3 Km span; Sudh Mahadev. Tourists could be conducted through Maan Talai to areas of pleasant weather; ancient Naag temple with wood carvings and a small Masjid is at Jakhed; Basant Garh is about 20 Km from Jakhed and about 70 Km from Udhampur and has lot of Deodar trees; in Basantgarh it rains almost daily in the evening (old name of Basant Garh is Basaar and there is holy shrine of Purdaar Devta/ Nag Devta; 8 to 10 Km ahead of Basantgarh is Khaned large beautiful meadows and a local river/ nallah wait the tourist at Khaned where on one bank Kashmiri people and the other bank Dogra races are there; about 15 Km from Basantgarh is Dudoo; About 4 km on the north side of Duddo is Shiv Gali (Sehogali) where we have Chamanda Mandir; about 10km from Seogali in the north east is Kakddi Dhar mountain range; on the top of Kakddi Dhar is a very large meadow/ plains with very cool weather; from Seogali about 10 Km is Gandh Top where Nag Temple is there and Dareoo, Potato, maize, Guchchi are found in abundance in this area. Local gaddi rear sheep / goat. Blankets/ kambal and loyees are available. ; Majohi is another cool village of the area about 7 km ahead of Gandh Top and then is Kalaunta ( some call it Kalbanta). From Udhampur tourist could be conducted to Suez Dhar (Bhaderwah) via Duddoo. Suez Dhar on the way to Kailash Kund is less than 15 Km from Bhadwerwah. From Padri Top/Dhaar/ Sone Bawali a tourist can also go to Chamba Himachal Pradesh via Bhaderwah Ghot.. Bal Padri Bhadherwah touches Tehsil Gandoh. Between J&K and HP Bhaderwah Ghot is boundary point. Bhaderwah Sarthal Chamba ( Sarthal to Chamba and Sarthal to Bani ) road links could be improved so that people visit from HP for religious purposes also. Tourist from Dalhauji, Khajiar and Chamba side could enter Doda District from this side bypassing the warm planes during the summer.
From Ramnagar (district Udhampur) one could go to Kalonta ( 14 Km), then to Majauri (40 Km), then to Gandh Top (7 Km) and Duddo (25 Km). Near Ram Nagar Fort has now come up Akshardham as a result of old remains found by excavation and would surely the religious tourists. …Contd
(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist and social activist dayasagr45@yahoo.com)